Amigos De Los Rios Revitalizing Our Communities

Emerald Necklace Group | Amigos De Los Ríos (AMIGOS) is a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization committed to protecting and restoring open space in the urban environment by creating an Emerald Necklace green infrastructure network of parks and trails throughout the Los Angeles Basin to connect the Mountains to the Sea. Our efforts are combating public health issues exacerbated by a lack of green infrastructure in East County Los Angeles.

Over past thirteen years, AMIGOS has proven our commitment to environmental justice by improving the built environment and bolstering civic engagement in under-served communities of the San Gabriel Valley and Gateway Cities most burdened by urban development and most in need of green infrastructure solutions.

AMIGOS has developed innovative strategies and regional plans to strategically engage a diverse spectrum of urban stakeholders with programming and projects that improve public health, ecosystem health, and resiliency to climate change by instilling and empowering community members with shared values of environmental stewardship, cultural awareness, and the power to affect positive change.

Building for the future

AMIGOS is a training organization for the next generation of environmental stewards dedicated to building sustainable communities through multiple benefit park building as a catalyst for meaningful public community engagement.

We specialize in the development and implementation of multi-purpose, state-of-the-art parks in park-deficient neighborhoods. Our parks are informed by community needs and local cultural heritage, and by the latest low-impact development (LID) landscape practices.

Our park projects in Arcadia, El Monte, South El Monte, Los Angeles, South Gate, and many other cities in east Los Angeles County use green infrastructure methodologies, such as on-site water filtration, bioswales, and low-water-use irrigation, as well as drought-tolerant and native-plant, to conserve water, protect biodiversity and our natural resources.

AMIGOS provides knowledge, skills, and leadership in the following areas:

• Designing, planning, and implementation of urban green infrastructure, including innovative, sustainable neighborhood parks
• Developing community partnerships and organizing community action programs – check out our Volunteer Events.
• Conservation of open and natural spaces within the metropolitan region – Learn more about the Emerald Necklace
• Efficiently utilizing funding for green infrastructure projects, including sustainability planning
• Promoting community involvement in all aspects of project planning, design, and development
• Curriculum creation for K-12 and family-oriented environmental education programs

AMIGOS-designed urban parks serve as prototypes for the next generation of public parks and open spaces in our area. In addition, they are discrete elements of a larger vision: an unbroken network of parks and connecting nature trails and bike paths that stretches from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Sea – our vision’s name – The Emerald Necklace.